Leukine
 

Anybody took Leukine( it is like Neupogen) while on chemo? I am having fever above 101 after taking it.

Thanks,
Julie

I took Leukine - 77 doses of it. It does produce an immune response which is excellent. If you get a couple of hives at the site of injection, that is even more excellent. Leukine boosts the dendrites and a dendritic response is almost like self vaccination. Stay with it. It gets better after each dose and you won't feel the flu like symptoms. Ask away about Leukine - it is a much better choice than Neupogen.

I've only had one dose and didn't have any problems. Becky, please let us know why it's a better choice (curious) and why the docs are pushing neupogen instead. Thanks!!

The reasons oncs use Neupogen or Neulasta has to do with the primary objective of why they are using the drug and that objective is to increase low neutrophil counts. Neutrophils are the white blood cell component that is the first defense the body has towards new infections - they are the soldiers in the field. It doesn't matter if your lymphocytes are low (they fight chronic infection). So for oncs - they want the neutrophils back.

Leukine boosts all components of the white blood cell components - neutrophils, monocytes (of which Lymphocytes are part of) and most importantly, the dendrites. Dendrites are the component that finds the really bad stuff like a new infection or cancer. They rush to the lymph nodes and the lymph nodes begin to manufacture B cells (which have infection memory in the long run). In turn, those B cells create the killer T cells that destory the infection (in the long run). So with a cold, the neutrophils rush there and start fighting. If the cold goes on too long, eventually the cold will be killed by the T cells that were specifically manufactured by the body to kill that virus. Those memory cells are around so that the killer T cells can be manufactured more quickly if you should ever encounter that virus again. This is the basis of immunization. Although you many catch 100s of colds in your life, they are all different from one another as you can never catch the same cold twice (or the measles twice etc). The dendritic effect can also work for cancer if a dendrite finds a cancer cell, the immune system does the correct response - theoretically, you are self immunizing. This is why all the Her2 vaccine trials use Leukine with the vaccine. To boost that whole effect. Have more dendrites to enhance the vaccine's effect. If you have more questions, please ask.

Thanks for the information Becky. I'm going to bring this up to my oncologist next week as I have a real problem with my white counts dropping. Yesterday I almost thought I wouldn't be able to get my chemo again because my counts were so low. WBC 3.2, neutrophil 1.71, hemoglobin 9.8 and platlets 102. I'm giving myself Neupogen shots for 4 days following chemo and next week the plan is that she will give me a Neulasta shot to hopefully keep my counts up for the third week. Also giving myself weekly Procrit shots to keep the red count up. I'm turning into a pin cushion. Yesterday she did decrease the amount of Carboplatin I'm getting from 244 to 200. Not a huge drop but hopefully enough that my counts will hold on so I don't keep missing my third week of chemo.

Kate
Does your face get flushed from Taxol? I keep getting it the day after...of course I was up all night from the Decadron....anyway, just wondering...I look like I baked in the sun...only on my face! Hope your counts are holding up....I wonder if its the Carbo, as mine are fine on the Taxol.

Thanks Becky for a more scientific explanation. I guess I got Leukine when I had my UW vaccine trial, I didn't get fever at that time and I am not sure why am I getting now. It is around 102.6.

Thanks,
Julie

What chemo are you on? Gemzar causes a fever that high. You may be becoming ill. I would touch base with your onc to be on the safe side.

I am on Navelbine and Herceptin. Navelbine itself causes fever for me for a day or two after the infusion. But that fever was always below 101. Now adding Leukine made it worse with a high fever. My onc just gave one day dose of Leukine as my counts are borderline low.

Julie